I'm tired. Not physically tired. Not even mentally tired. But more spiritually tired. And this fatigue seems to have its roots in the digital world. I'm not referring to EMF exposure (though, that's possibly another good reason to take a break from our devices every once in a while). No, this depletion of the spirit has more to do with the disconnect from reality that has been nudging me back to stillness more and more recently.

Today we celebrate. We celebrate the first harvest with friends and family. We gobble turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie. We maybe engage in a well-informed political spat with those we love. 😳 We talk with others (possibly more than we would like).

On any other day, if I were to ask you who you talk to the most, how would you respond?

Now that my kids have entered the second decade of their lives gone are the days of frantic toy shopping after (or on!) Thanksgiving. This year I get to relish in the relative calm of my laptop while I scoop up some fantastic deals on healthy lifestyle products for myself and my loved ones. . .

Play - the most overlooked piece of my wellness puzzle, and maybe yours...

I don’t know about you, but somewhere along the line—amidst landing that stifling career in my twenties, taking on the responsibilities of owning a home, bringing two little lives into this world who would be utterly dependent on me, and getting chronically sick—I forgot how to play…

This topic is the thread that tied the last decade of my life together. The more noise those of us affected can create, the more unwitting victims can be helped.

The increasingly common, and often hidden toxin has been underestimated for far too long. Relegated to a mere nuisance for those with overt allergies or sensitivities, mold lurking in the basement, behind paint and baseboards, in AC ducts, and under carpets may be wreaking more havoc on your health than you realize.

Though misunderstood by many—even in the medical field—there is a difference between mold toxicity and a mold allergy. A mold allergy is what my husband experienced when we pulled off the door frames and found ourselves face-to-face with Stachybotrys, i.e., black mold. An allergy elicits an immune response that usually manifests with symptoms in the sinuses and lungs. This response is typically an acute one (at least on the surface) that subsides when a person removes himself from the proximity of mold.

This topic is the thread that tied the last decade of my life together. The more noise those of us affected can create, the more unwitting victims can be helped.

The increasingly common, and often hidden toxin has been underestimated for far too long. Relegated to a mere nuisance for those with overt allergies or sensitivities, mold lurking in the basement, behind paint and baseboards, in AC ducts, and under carpets may be wreaking more havoc on your health than you realize.

So you’ve probably heard this analogy before - a caveman is chased by a predator (like a tiger) and defends himself or runs for dear life. Obviously, his "flight-or-flight" mechanism kicks in. Adrenaline floods the bloodstream and his heart rate and blood pressure rise...

Last Christmas morning was the first one in half a decade in which I didn't wake up feeling like I'd been run over by a truck. Over the years I had grown to dread the holiday season. Everyone around me was basking in the glow of the colorful lights, festive parties, child recitals, and favorite traditions while I was laser-focused on watching every morsel of food I put into my mouth and mustering any amount of energy I could to just get gifts under the tree...

Ever heard the story behind the phrase a “canary in a coal mine”? Many of you with environmental or chemical sensitivities probably know it all too well. But just in case you’re unfamiliar…

According to the Smithsonian this mining tradition took place from 1911 to 1986. They were sent into coal mines ahead of time to detect carbon monoxide and other toxic gases before those gases could hurt humans...

Coming off my month long infection-busting protocol (and feeling AWESOME!), I've had a difficult time wanting to jump back in to eating all the "regular" food. When you eliminate basically every possible inflammatory food for your body for a good chunk of time you give yourself a chance to come back into balance...

This isn't your typical waffles and maple syrup, obviously, but it's my savory take on the concept and it's even good enough to receive my middle schooler's stamp of approval...

Last weekend my extremely laid back, fun-loving, ever-present good friend sensed my left-brain logic kicking up in the midst of our conversation. I couldn't help it. It's the way I've always operated. Ask me a question these days about nutrition or pathogens or toxins and I'll get all cerebral on you! I like to try to make sense of things even if it sends me down one rabbit hole after another in my mind.

Those of you following me on Instagram may have heard about the month-long, infection-busting protocol my son and I are in the midst of completing. In addition to taking heavy doses of herbal supplements (like maitake mushrooms, olive leaf extract, and many more), we're on a very limited diet in an effort to avoid as much unnecessary inflammation as possible. Cooking becomes a bit challenging without grains (with the exception of rice), dairy, nightshades, nuts, coconut, soy, legumes, chocolate, coffee, eggs, ferments and sweeteners (including maple syrup and honey).

Remember those high school or college days when you were given an assignment weeks in advance and just couldn’t quite figure out how to manage your time to avoid cramming everything into an all-nighter in the final hours? Maybe you received the instructions for the paper or the upcoming exam and thought, “Whew, I have plenty of time for this. It’ll just take a little bit of effort every day and I’ll ace this thing!”

Modern day society values hard work. Most of us are brought up to believe that success can only arise out of blood, sweat and tears. That’s how we can become the best versions of ourselves. That’s how we can accomplish greatness. That’s how we can be happy.

Problem is, all this hard work, or being busy, actually distracts us from being happy!

Like many you I felt that I had given up so much in my life in an effort to heal.

I gave up gluten, dairy and a laundry list of other foods in an effort to heal my gut. I made this mean that I had given up on enjoying restaurant meals and social events with friends.

I gave up my high paced career when my energy was no longer available to sustain this lifestyle. I made this mean that I wasn't really the accomplished woman with whom I had so strongly identified for decades.

Many kids have trouble getting a handle on their anger. My parents will certainly tell you I did! For some, these emotionally charged outbursts continue into adulthood. It took me a very long time to figure out that my short fuse made me feel powerful and was really a disguise for a whole host of more vulnerable emotions like sadness, embarrassment and shame that I wasn't willing to face.

The topic of leadership has been bouncing around in my head ever since my son confessed his fears about being an effective leader for the new, younger boy scouts this weekend... As we talked through his dilemma I couldn’t help but think about how we all face a similar struggle every moment of every day as we choose how to be the best leader for our inner worlds, our most significant leadership role...

Since implementing a mindful eating practice I’ve noticed asignificantimprovement in my energy levels after meals. Slowing down to acknowledge a meal that you are about to eat and savoring the bites as they touch your lips may seem like a luxury we just don't have the time for these days (not to mention a bit odd), but there is real evidence that this practice translates into health benefits for you.